Tourist Information for Leavenworth, WA

Traveling under a stormy sky

We had the delightful opportunity to get away for the weekend to our favorite home-away-from-home, Leavenworth Washington. It had been a long time since we visited the village during a festival, but we were given the chance to stay in a condo right downtown over the weekend of the Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival. We jumped at the chance and eagerly anticipated seeing Leavenworth in all its Autumn Leaf Festival finery.

We left Spokane on a cool but dry Friday afternoon and we knew that the forecast called for rain most of the weekend, but we were looking forward to our first weekend in Leavenworth in months to be very worried about it. We just made sure we packed lots of layers and warm socks and comfortable shoes. I love to wear hats and rainy weather is the perfect opportunity to do that.

By the time we got to Wenatchee we were driving in a light rain and hadn’t made as good a time as we hoped, so we drove straight through Leavenworth and to the Snowy Owl Theatre at the Icicle Creek Center for the Arts. We had tickets waiting for us for the Amberleaf Theatre community presentation, Brats in Space: the Continuing Voyages of the Starship Overpriced. It was our first look at the newest addition to the Icicle Arts/Sleeping Lady Resort complex. The Snowy Owl Theater is a state-of-the-art 240 seat venue built to resemble Wenatchee Valley barns and to blend in to its natural surroundings. It was beautiful and fascinating to see firsthand.

Snowy Owl Theater at Icicle Creek Center for the Arts”

The Amberleaf Theatre production was a silly romp through space with lots of inside local humor. The small company took advantage of the cutting edge technology with multi-media elements such as projections and closed-circuit video feeds. As the Captain, Spot and the poor red-shirted ensign traveled the universe to track down the elusive Trader Jo and work to bring him to their home planet of Leavenworth, they run into a familiar cast of characters, including Santa and St Nicholas and visited planets covered with candy houses and divided east and west by a major highway with a confusingly complicated interchange. It was a fun and “Leavenworthy” way to start of our Autumn Leaf Festival weekend.

After the curtain closed we drove back to Leavenworth in a light rainfall. We pulled up outside our home for the weekend, the Bavarian Mountain Suite. The Rubin family very generously offered us the use of the suite for a weekend stay. Their only request was that we let you all know what we thought of our stay and the accommodations. I’m thrilled to tell you that we couldn’t have been happier with our stay. The condominium was immaculately kept and comfortably decorated. It sleeps up to 6 with two comfortable bedrooms and a hide-a-bed. It was easy to imagine staying there with another couple or two, or with our kids and grandkids. The kitchen was well equipped and roomy. There were a few basic supplies, such as baking powder and some spices but you’ll want to do some meal planning and shopping to stock up if you plan to do your dining in rather than eat at the numerous restaurants in Leavenworth. The dining room would easily seat 8 comfortably. It would make a great place for friends to get together during one of Leavenworth’s many festivals or during a wine tasting weekend.

Icicle Owl

The ground-floor Bavarian Mountain Suite is conveniently located on Division street right behind Leavenworth’s FestHalle. So it’s in easy walking distance to downtown. As a bonus, the condo has a garage, so you can park in an enclosed garage and not have to pay for parking or waste a lot of time hunting for one of a limited number of free parking spots on the street. When you’re in the garage take a look at the Wall of Sleds–a number of sleds, both vintage and new, for your family to use for wintertime fun. You can see more (and better) photos of Bavarian Mountain Suite and book your stay at Comfy Cabins. You’ll also find a comprehensive list of amenities and rates and fees. When you book your stay, please be sure to tell them that the Accidental Bavarians sent you!

Scotte and I explored the condo and snapped a few photos, then we got over to the nearby Idlewild Pizza (nowBlewitt Brewing Company), celebrating its opening night. We were there late enough to miss the dinner rush.

Idlewild is a Leavenworth’s first wood-fired pizzaria. They offer local brews and unusual pizza toppings. Unfortunately they were out of das German which promised créme fraiche, brats and onion. We settled on the Delancey, a four cheese variety with garlic. It was delicious and we devoured every bite. The crust was crisp and scorched nicely for all sorts of yumminess. It was the perfect thickness around the edge to be crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Idlewild is decorated in an industrial style warmed with wood walls and modern lighting. They have a roomy patio which will be a great place to eat in warmer weather. We really enjoyed our meal at Idlewild and it will definitely make our list of must-eat places. As of this writing the website linked above is still listed as “Coming Soon.” You can also find them on Facebook.

After running a quick errand for supplies like coffee and half-n-half, we were eager to return to our condo. We changed into pajamas, started up the gas fireplace and settled in for a cozy evening with our books and iPads. We were so happy to have wifi in the condo. Scotte had to spend a few minutes figuring out the complicated Audio/Video system. Once he read instructions provided it worked out just fine. There’s a closet filled with family games, and the electonics system features cable and satellite.

Before we knew it, it was time for bed. The king sized bed of the master suite was as comfortable as it looked and we had no problem falling off to a deep and restful sleep.

In future posts we’ll talk about the rest of our visit to Leavenworth and the Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival.

Front Street in Autumn

It’s August already. The “end of summer” blues are just around the corner. I can feel it coming like a train climbing Stevens Pass. If you’re like me you’re probably spending time online or perusing your favorite travel magazines, looking for inspiration for a weekend getaway to celebrate the cooler weather of fall, or to eke out the last few rays of summer. Leavenworth, Washington is my favorite place for a weekend getaway anytime of year, but in the golden days of late summer and autumn the Bavarian village is at its best.

You can find out what’s happening in Leavenworth by checking in with the Accidental Bavarian Event Calendar. Click on the month you’re looking for and every event that we’ve found and that businesses and festivals have alerted us to is listed here. You can also check in with TNBT (The Next Big Thing) where we list events happening for the following two weeks or so. If you look at September’s events now you’ll find the Leavenworth Quilt Show, and Leavenworth’s original festival, the Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival. One of our favorite itineraries is to arrive on a Sunday, enjoy festival activities and then enjoy the quiet side of Leavenworth on Monday and Tuesday. Or use the event calendar to plan a visit without a festival, if crowds aren’t your thing. Though once September starts, there are festivals in Leavenworth every weekend until Oktoberfest ends on October 15th.

Use the key word search in the Event calendar to find other stuff to do during your visit. You can find special events like concerts, a Night at the (Nutcracker) Museum, wine tastings, winery tours, the county fair and live music. You’ll also find links to ongoing events like the Leavenworth Community Farmers Market, on Thursdays and Village Art on the Green.

Cascade Mountains in the fall

For places to stay on your long weekend check our Stay page. You can search for a favorite place or one friends have recommended or look by category. If you’re looking for a weekend cabin then check with Comfy Cabins for cabin and condo rental listings. Follow them on Facebook and they’ll post about any last minute openings for a spontaneous getaway, sometimes with a booking discount or special offer.

Looking for traditional German food while you’re in Leavenworth? Check our German Food page for some of our favorites. You’ll find places like Munchen Haus with outdoor seating, savory flavored grilled sausages with all the trimmings like housemade sauerkraut, and German beers on tap. Or sit at a window seat in Café Christa, overlooking the Gazebo, and enjoy German specialties like Jaeger schnitzel, mit spaetzl und apfelrotkraut. Jori also has German beer on tap and a fine selection of German wine.

You’ll find lots of other kinds of European and America fare in Leavenworth. Check our Eat page for ideas for everything from gelato to pizza. You’ll find Italian, Asian, cafe fare and lots of chocolate. Scotte and I usually can’t find time to eat all of our favorites during a weekend visit. That’s okay we always know we’ll be back soon. And we never leave without a stop at the Cheesemonger’s Shop and Fudge Hut for continuing enjoyment once we’re home.

Be sure you make time this fall to visit one or more of the many fruit orchards strung out throughout the Wenatchee Valley. The Cascade Foothills Farmland Association has interactive growers maps. You can also request an AgTourism Driving Map. Visit orchards that have been cultivated by the same family for generations, vineyards producing fine Washington wines and wine tasting rooms in Leavenworth and the surrounding area.

Plan a weekend in Leavenworth. Visit Accidental Bavarian for places to stay and eat and things to do during the months of September and October. It’s just the thing you need to bridge the gap between summer and autumn and chase away the back-to-school blues. And be sure to check back frequently. We’ve got some surprises planned for fall.

We at Accidental Bavarian congratulate the 2011 Royal Lady of the Autumn Leaves, Nancy Watson. Each year the Autumn Leaf Festival Association (ALFA) chooses a member of the community to represent the association and the community of Leavenworth. The Royal Lady, along with other members of the association and other community volunteers, travels to communities throughout the Pacific Northwest promoting Leavenworth and inviting folks to enjoy the hospitality of Leavenworth. Mrs. Watson will ride the ALFA’s float in as many as 14 parades throughout the spring and summer.

Mrs. Watson, the 48th Royal Lady, has a long history in Leavenworth, though she has described herself as a comparative newcomer. Her husband, Lynn, was born and raised in Leavenworth. Mr. Watson’s mother, Pauline Watson, was the 1980 Royal Lady. Lynn and Nancy have a long history of community involvement and volunteerism in Leavenworth. The Watsons own Alpen Haus Gifts and the Alpen Rose Inn. Mr. Watson is one of the founding members of the Royal Bavarians, a service organization that supports the Autumn Leaf Festival, among other community projects. Mrs. Watson taught in the Leavenworth School District until her retirement in 2000, where she still serves as a substitute teacher on occasion.

The Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival is Leavenworth’s original festival on a calendar full of them. Established in 1964, the festival celebrates the changing of the seasons. The village is filled with activities, entertainment, food and a grand parade. The family-friendly festival is organized, sponsored and staged by the Autumn Leaf Festival Association (AFLA) in conjunction with members of the community, the Royal Bavarians, Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce and the City of Leavenworth.

This year’s Autumn Leaf Festival theme is 80 Years of Winter Sports. 2011 festival dates are September 23-25. The first scheduled float appearance for 2011 is the Tacoma Daffodil Festival Parade, April 9, 2011.

To read more about Leavenworth festivals the year-round, visit our Festivals page!